


It’s Cold Outside

by Trash_000



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: AAAHHH, Arguing, Bad Weather, Belle thinks he’s being ridiculous, Cold Weather, F/M, Gold was raised a gentleman, He’s the one who says he should go home, How do I tag?, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, It’s Cold!, I’ve always liked it & see no problems, Secret Relationship, Snow, Song: Baby It's Cold Outside, StoryBrooke is a town of gossip, This has probably been done before, based on a christmas song, blizzard, but idc, controversial song?, it was like 3am
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-21
Updated: 2018-12-21
Packaged: 2019-09-23 19:24:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17086271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trash_000/pseuds/Trash_000
Summary: Exactly what you think it is.It’s cold outside and Belle just wants him to stay.One-Shot based off the song ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside.’I know the song’s pretty controversial lately because people think it’s ‘Rapey’ but it’s really not...It’s always been one of my favourite Christmasy songs so I just had to do this.Sorry, but I’m really not sorry.





	It’s Cold Outside

**Author's Note:**

> Seriously tho, if you have a problem with the song you can fight me in the comments about it! Lmao, JK.

“Raine, it’s absolutely freezing outside! Don’t be ridiculous!” Belle told the man who’d just announced it was around time he head home. 

To be fair it was rather late, the hour closing in on midnight, and the two of them having spent all evening together after having an at-home dinner date in Belle’s little apartment above the library. Of course it was completely logical for him to want to go home, but Belle wasn’t quite ready for him to leave. She enjoyed his company a lot. Besides, as she’d just said, it was mid-December and very cold outside, a bitter storm having started around an hour earlier. She couldn’t let him go out in such weather. 

The man shook his head “I can’t stay, Belle. I really must go.” He reached for his cane to help himself to stand, however Belle snatched it first. He sighed. “Sweetheart, really?” His tone was edging close to a whine (which he’d deny at all costs. Mr.Gold did not whine.) “It’s been a wonderful evening but it’s time to call it a night.” He reached for his cane again and when his hand brushed hers, she let out a squeak.

“You’re hands are cold as ice already and you want to go out there?!” She tutted, taking his hands into her own. “You really don’t have to hurry away, you know.” 

“Neal will grow concerned if I’m out too late.” He told her.

“He’s nineteen, Raine.” She shook her head, dismissing his point.” He’s more than capable of handling himself. Besides he knows you’re with me. He knows you’re safe.” A small smile was flashed up at him and he caved in. Her smiles always turned him soft.

“Fine,” He told her, relaxing a little with a sigh and a giving her hands an affectionate squeeze. “I can stay for another cup of coffee, but then I have to go home.” A small smile tugged at his lips when she celebrated with a goofy grin, pulling her hands away for a single clap.

“Alright!” She stood from her position of the couch next to him, collecting their mugs and started on her way towards the kitchenette to prepare their drinks. “Two instants coming up!” 

The electric kettle bubbled as Belle spooned instant coffee and sugar into their cups. The wind howled viciously outside, rattling the windows and burying the coastal Maine town in a rather thick blanket of snow. It was coming down so thick, it was hard to make out much of anything. It really was awful out there.

Once her task for the moment was complete and they were waiting for the telltale click that the water had boiled, Belle leaned against the counter, facing where he sat. Her eyes jumped from him to the window every so often, her lower lip sucked between her teeth in nervous thought. She opened her mouth to speak but he beat her to it. 

“I can’t stay, Belle, Really. It’s not right.” He told her, pushing away the offer before it came up again. 

“But-“ She tried but he was quick to stop her.

“No.” 

“Seriously-“

“Seriously.” He nodded curtly. 

“Raine!” She all but snapped, voice tense, wanting to be heard and taken seriously. “Think about it. You walked here from your shop. It’s well past your knees out there, and if you make it down the street to your car, it’s well more than likely buried like everything else out there! Even if it's not, you can’t possibly drive on those roads!” She gestured out the window erratically.

“What else am I to do, Sweetheart?!” He returned with a strained laugh. “What would the town think come morning? Certainly seeing me here so early in the day would cause suspicion…” The people of StoryBrooke still hadn’t clued in that Mr. Gold and the kindly librarian were involved with each other. The two of them snuck around fairly well. Dates tended to focus around meals taken in less public places, her apartment, his back garden, the workroom in his shop, and her office in the library on a quiet day. Occasionally the two of them would go on a day trip together to Portland or Boston and find themselves at a restaurant or at a museum or gallery. The town was unaware, and as far as Gold was concerned, it should stay that way. 

Belle rolled her eyes. “I don’t give a damn about town gossip. I care about your wellbeing!” 

“No, Belle, really! Think about it… My reputation and yours. They conflict one another greatly. I’m the old town monster and you’re… you’re you.” He shrugged, his expression displaying a sad smile. “Kind, caring, young, absolutely beautiful... Imagine what they town would come up with, Belle! That you owe me? That I’m paying your service?” He paused to shake his head. “I won’t let your virtue be slandered by mine because of a little snow!” 

Her eyes narrowed. “I don’t care about any of that.” She repeated. “And it’s more than a little snow! It’s practically a blizzard! What if you went out there and got frostbite? Or Hypothermia? Pneumonia? You could die of Pneumonia! Imagine how I’d feel if you went out there and got yourself ill like that!” 

“Belle, you’re being ridiculous! I’m not-“ 

“You’re the one being ridiculous! I’m worried about you freezing to death in a literal snow storm and you’re more concerned about what people would think if they saw us together? Really! Does that actually make sense to you?”

He deflated then, the fight draining from him. He sighed hopelessly. “With rumours as horrid as the ones the town can create, what would we do?” 

She exhaled roughly through her nose and shook her head. “Spread the truth?” She told him. “We can’t hide our relationship forever, Raine. One day they’ll find out, and unfortunately, people will have their opinions and they will probably gossip about us, but that’s just something we’ll have to deal with together.” There was a soft click that signalled Belle to busy herself again, she turned around to pour her cups. “We’re together, we care about each other, Hell, I…” she paused. “I love you, Raine. Nothing can get in the way of that.” 

Gold eyed the floor, unsure of how he felt. Foolish? Nervous? A strange mixture of multiple emotions he couldn’t quite put a finger on? “I love you too, Sweetheart. I just want to look out for you.” 

“Right now, it’s best if you look out for yourself.” She told him, stirring spoon clinking against the ceramic sides. “You can’t go out there. Please?” 

He glanced towards the window and watched the rolling blur of white for a moment. “My gut tells me I really ought to say no and go home. That’s what I was raised to believe in right, dear.” He sounded contemplative and eyes shifted to meet hers. “but I do know it’s straight awful out there.” 

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen it so bad before.” Her voice lacked the convincing tone. It was a statement more than anything. The decision was ultimately his to make.

“It’s nice in here though. Warm, and comfortable, with great company…” He returned his gaze back to outside. “At least I can say I tried to go home.” His shoulders bobbed with a shrug as he leaned back against the back of the sofa. That was his answer. He wouldn’t leave tonight. 

Belle sighed in relief as she came to sit back down next to him, placing their mugs on the coffee table. She quickly curled up against his side to cuddle. His arm curled around to hold her as she nuzzled her nose into the crook where his jaw met his neck. They sat in near silence watching the fake flames flicker of Belle’s television screen. The instrumental for ‘Please Come Home For Christmas’ playing softly as background noise. 

As the song was beginning to close Belle pressed a kiss to the juncture of his throat, humming contentedly when he gave her a squeeze and returned the sentiment with a kiss to her crown. She sat herself up to take her coffee mug in hand and sipped it leisurely, watching as he reached for his as well. He swallowed down a mouthful of his own, brows raised in surprise before her turned to her. “Hey, what’s in this?” He asked pointing unnecessarily at the cup in his hand. 

She smirked over the rim of her own as she took another sip. “Just some liquid courage. A little bit of Rum.” 

A quirked brow introduced the question. “Why would I need that?” 

Her cheeks turned pink and she worried her lower lip. “You’re staying the night aren’t you?” 

He blinked owlishly at her not once, not twice, but three times, head cocked to the side before her meaning fully clued in. 

He was staying the night. 

In her apartment. 

With her. 

Alone.

In her bed. 

All night.

“Oh…” his lips quirked up into a smirk before he took another long slow sip of the beverage in hand. “Indeed I am. It’s cold outside.”


End file.
